Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense

Description

AIDA, the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense, is a nonprofit that uses law and science to protect the environment and communities in Latin America.

It was founded in 1998 by environmental law groups from Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Peru and the United States to build regional capacity for international environmental advocacy. Its staff of lawyers and scientists, most based in Latin America, provide free legal and scientific support to communities, organizations and governments across the continent. Work covers a just energy transition, protecting ecosystems, and defending the communities that safeguard them.

AIDA combines strategic litigation designed to set legal precedent, advocacy in international forums, and collaborative work with communities, civil society, academia and government. It has been involved in cases such as stopping a dam project in Mexico, protecting sea turtles in Costa Rica, banning mining in Colombian wetlands, and securing reparations for affected families in La Oroya, Peru. It also runs training workshops for legal advocates on human rights and environmental protection across the hemisphere.

The organization operates from offices in the United States, Mexico and Colombia, working throughout Latin America.